1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a push-button key for generating an electrical signal upon depression thereof, and in particular to such a key which employs no electrical contacts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of a toroidal tape core consisting of amorphous material having a low magnetic retentivity with electrical windings thereabout for connecting multivibrators to the windings in a bridge circuit is described in IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, Vol. MAG-15, No. 6, November 1979 at pages 1806-1808. The toroidal tape core described therein is magnetized by a winding supplied with high frequency alternating current so that an alternating voltage is induced in a secondary winding dependent upon the progression of the hysteresis loop of the toroidal tape core. Upon deformation of the toroidal tape core due to mechanical force, the hysteresis loop becomes flatter, so that a lower voltage is induced in the secondary winding of the core. As a result, the output of the multivibrator is caused to change. The arrangement represents a transducer for converting a mechanical force into an electrical signal.